Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 111986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111986 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Knox arched a brow. “Should I?”
“I don’t deal on the black market,” Thatcher stated. “And I don’t hire minions.”
A ringing made them all turn toward the sound. Flushing, Malden pulled out his cell and quickly tapped the screen, quieting the device. “I apologize. I’m curious, Knox – does Harper blame Thatcher? Is that why she’s not here?”
“She’s not here because I insisted that she rest. Being hexed takes a toll on even the strongest of demons.”
Raul paused with his glass halfway to his mouth, gaping. “Your mate was hexed?”
“Just yesterday,” Knox confirmed. “She survived it, of course.”
Mila raised her brows, looking impressed. “She’s strong.”
“It astonishes me that people fail to see just how strong she is.” Knox steepled his fingers. “She wasn’t too weak to attend the meeting, but I want her at top strength for our trip. We’re not willing to miss our vacation for someone who stupidly assumed she wouldn’t fight off a hex.” He didn’t want anyone thinking that the hex had sent him and Harper running, so he felt it would be simpler to imply that the trip was organized prior to the magickal strike.
Thatcher sighed, face hard. “I suppose this makes me an even likelier suspect. I’m an incantor, after all.”
“Yes, Thatcher, it does,” said Knox.
“Why would I harm your mate?” Thatcher’s hand clenched, and Knox half-expected him to thump the table. “Considering you’re quite adamant that the Horsemen are real, I would have thought you would be blaming them. Or are you also accusing me of being one of them?”
“I’m not so blinded by the Horsemen situation that I believe they’re responsible for everything that happens. If I were one of them, I’d lie low.”
“As would I,” said Jolene.
“If you’re looking for someone who would mean your mate harm, you should be looking at the other side of the table.” Thatcher’s gaze drilled into Alethea, who gawked at him.
“You bastard,” she hissed. “Don’t you point fingers at me.”
Thatcher raised his hands in a helpless gesture. “I only speak the truth. Everyone here knows that you would see Harper dead, given the chance.”
Jonas held up a calming hand. “Alethea and Harper do not get along, that is true, but —”
Thatcher snorted. “That is a complete understatement.”
Jonas’ jaw hardened. “My sister has nothing to do with this.”
“You’re sure of that, are you? You would bet your position of Prime on it?” Thatcher snickered when Jonas fell silent. “Didn’t think so.”
Nostrils flaring, Jonas said, “Just because a person dislikes someone doesn’t mean that they wish to cause them physical harm.”
Thatcher’s gaze returned to Alethea. “But you would if you thought you could get away with it, wouldn’t you? You know, I heard that Jonas’ new girlfriend is an incantor.”
Shock flashed across Jonas’ face, but he buried the emotion quickly.
“Maybe, Alethea, you got her to hex Harper for you,” Thatcher suggested.
Alethea bared her teeth. “You’re just looking to divert everyone’s attention from yourself.”
I didn’t know Jonas was dating an incantor, Levi said to Knox. Interesting.
It is, agreed Knox. Particularly since he seemed so shocked that outsiders would know about it. For some reason, he was hoping to keep it private.
Thatcher pointed at Jonas. “Or maybe it was you who asked your girlfriend to hex Harper. As I understand it, you’re not too happy with Jolene right now. Maybe you wanted to punish her using her granddaughters.”
All eyes moved to Jolene, but she was staring hard at Jonas when she spoke. “Thatcher seems to enjoy playing devil’s advocate, but he makes a good point. Promising me that I would regret not giving you what you wanted… well, that certainly implicates you.”
Dario narrowed his eyes. “What did he want from you, Jolene?”
She continued staring at Jonas. “Why don’t you tell them, Jonas?”
After a moment, Jonas cleared his throat. “I wanted to meet with Lucifer. I asked Jolene to arrange a meeting. She refused.”
“You want an alliance with him,” corrected Jolene calmly. “I told you that I couldn’t guarantee you an alliance with Lucifer or that he would even meet with you. The devil doesn’t ally himself with anyone. I told him that you wanted to meet him, but he has no interest in speaking with you. That’s hardly my fault. Yet, you blame me.”
“It’s brave of you to be prepared to, literally, make a deal with the devil, Jonas,” Knox told him.
Dario squinted at Jonas. “Why would you want to meet with Lucifer? What do you want from him?” At this point, everyone was eying Jonas suspiciously, including his sister, who seemed sincerely surprised by the news.
“That was my question,” said Jolene. “After all, Lou likes loopholes. Any deal he makes always has a catch – and it’s always one that makes the demon sorry they made the deal in the first place. That’s common knowledge. A demon would have to want something very, very badly to be prepared to make any kind of pact with Lou. I said as much to Jonas. I asked him just what it was that he was so desperate to have.”